Anfield's team in disarray as Forest conquer their fortress once more with 3-0 win

The away side's victory at Anfield in the prior year appeared a one-off in an usually commanding top-flight home campaign for Liverpool. This recurrence now, a decisively stronger triumph under Sean Dyche, was a clear sign of the problems plaguing the faltering champions.

Nottingham Forest's superb showing

Forest were brilliant as they secured their most significant triumph at Anfield. Strikes from the defender, outstanding at each end of the pitch, Nicolò Savona and the magnificent Gibbs-White led to a deserved success for a team that also kept a maid clean sheet in 20 Premier League matches.

The home side's woes

The Reds, in comparison, were a disorganized as they experienced an eighth defeat in eleven matches to drop into the lower half of the league. Weak at set-plays, repeatedly, ineffectual in the final third, as before, with Isak replaced after sixty-eight uninfluential minutes, and poor in defense, they faltered in each phase to succumb to a back-to-back 3-0 reverse.

Early dominance missing payoff

For 30 minutes Liverpool enjoyed the advantage, the infrequent break from Morgan Gibbs-White excepted, but the failure to capitalize on opportunities into the hard currency of scores hurt them significantly. Alexis Mac Allister was offered an early-on chance from Gakpo's drive into the area only for the Forest player to execute a superb goalline clearance with his skull. He had a follow-up attempt stopped moments later while skilful control from the winger set up another close-range chance for Milos Kerkez. An opposition player just managed to pressure the full-back into blazing over.

Set-piece weakness afflicts once more

The manager has frequently criticized his side's susceptibility to transitions and set-plays in the current campaign. He was given further evidence for concern when Forest took the lead through a mix of the both aspects.

Sean Dyche was surprised after Jesus was unable to release Nicolás Domínguez in an open area on the fast attack and allowed Konaté the opening to intercept. The ensuing corner caused celebratory moments in the away team's area, however, when Anderson's cross deflected off Virgil van Dijk to the defender and the defender fired an unstoppable finish from close range into the back of the net. There were echoes of the captain's ruled out strike against the champions in the visitors' first goal with Dan Ndoye positioned in an offside position in front of Liverpool's returning shot-stopper Alisson.

Video Assistant Referee rulings and debate

Unsurprisingly, the the skipper was quick to mention the similarities to the match official, Andrew Madley. However, unlike the full-back at the Etihad Stadium, the forward made no obvious movement in front of Alisson and the score remained. The Premier League confirmed: "The on-field decision of valid strike was reviewed and verified by the video system – with it deemed that the player was not in the sightline of Alisson and made no an interference that affected an player."

The Reds were reprieved by the referees and VAR two minutes later when Jesus thought he had added to Forest's cushion.

Konaté, who experienced a terrible day, made an unconvincing effort to remove an Ibrahim Sangaré's delivery and turned the object against the attacker, who controlled before slotting the lower corner of the keeper's goal. The referee, in contact with his assistant, disallowed the strike for a illegal use of hand that several reviews were unable to confirm or refute. League officials announced: "The ruling of no goal was reviewed and confirmed by VAR – with it considered that Igor Jesus accidentally controlled the ball before scoring."

Second goal extends cushion

So much for the let-off. Moments of the resumption Mac Allister was unable to cut out a delivery towards Williams inside the home box. The former Liverpool defender turned from his opponent and presented Forest's second on a plate for partner full back the scorer, who picked out the keeper's upper corner with a calm placed shot.

Tactical changes fail

The manager took risks, substituting Konaté with the forward after the 55th minute and partnering the France attacker next to Isak. The tactical shift continued just less than a quarter-hour before the striker was replaced following one more ineffective performance. Federico Chiesa and the youngster were additionally added to the Anfield's frontline but sloppiness in ball control and solid Forest defending prevented the hosts at arm's length.

Late goal seals the victory

The visitors displayed the finesse and cutting edge that the home team were missing in the attacking phase to decide the game {beyond doubt|out of reach|conclusively